Effect of a slow ramp rate on exercise testing: a healthy volunteer study

oliver chappell, jonathan rivers

Kristy Martin(Kristy.Martin@canberra.edu.au)

Suzanne Broadbent(suzanne.broadbent@scu.edu.au)

jules brown, Effect of a slow ramp rate on exercise testing: a healthy volunteer study(2016)SDRP Journal Of Anesthesia & Surgery 1(1)

Abstract
Ramp rates for incremental ramp rate exercise testing are not standardised. The ramp rate may influence the values obtained during exercise testing. We compared a slow ramp rate (SR) (3 watts/minute) to a fast ramp rate (FR) (20 watts/minute) in 8 fit non elite cyclists using cycle ergometry. We measured peak power , oxygen consumption (VO2) at anaerobic threshold (AT) and maximum aerobic capacity (VO2 max). A lower mean peak work (369 Watts vs 406 watts, P=0.004), higher mean AT (42.1 ml/min/kg vs 38.6 ml/min/kg, p=0.16) , lower mean VO2 max (51.7 ml/min/kg vs 54 ml/min/kg p=0.25) and higher ratio of AT to VO2 max (0.82 vs 0.71 p = 0.03) were obtained using the SR protocol. These results suggest that ramp protocols need to be considered when interpreting exercise tests clinically. We would suggest standardising ramp test protocols.

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